HTTYD Modern AU: Gang Violence and Getting Clean
by dylan.h.merritt
Summary: There once was a young, depressed, and outcast boy who was a junior in highschool. He felt the full overbearing weight of the world, on his scrawny shoulders, when his father met an untimely demise. He had no one to turn to, no one to console him. So he turned to bad habits, and a wrong crowd. This, is his story.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there everyone. This is my Modern AU of HTTYD. Yes there will be a little OOC. And yes there will be more detail. This is just the first chapter. Give it tine guys. All will be revealed soon enough. Anyways. If you like it leave a review, private message, favorite it, Follow it. I dont care. Just show me that you like it and give me your opinions.**

There once was a young, depressed, and outcast boy who was a junior in highschool. He felt the full overbearing weight of the world, on his scrawny shoulders, when his father met an untimely demise. He had no one to turn to, no one to console him. So he turned to bad habits, and a wrong crowd. This, is his story.

"Hey! Hiccup! Get your ass in gear! We don't want to keep the boss waiting! Tonight is the night of the heist!" A young, brawny boy yelled up a flight of stairs. Although he may have been in highschool, he was a giant among his peers.

"Alright! I'm coming down Snarl! Don't get your panties in a knot." Another young boy came down the flight of stairs. He was a polar opposite of the boy at the bottom of the stairs. This boy was as thin as a tooth pick, and quite a bit shorter. Although compared to the boy at the foot of the stairs, this boy was of average stature.

"Bought damn time! We are gonna be late! Get in the car and let's go!" Snarl ordered Hiccup. Hiccup was obviously a code name, and so was Snarl. They used them to avoid anyone finding out their real identities.

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot my mask." Hiccup ran over to the living room and lifted up a coushin from the couch.

Under the coushin was a small rectangular container only about two inches thick. He quickly opened it and produced a black dragon mask. The mask had green eyes and pointed, yet curved ears on each side. Hiccup put the mask in his coats inner pocket and put everything back the way it was.

"Alright. Now im ready. Let's go." Hiccup ran out the door with Snarl in tow. They quickly got into Snarl's Cherry Red1976 Camaro SS.

"I don't see why I have to keep coming to get you. You have your own car. Why don't you drive it?" Snarl was obviously upset that he was the one who always had to pick Hiccup up.

"Because it's not finished yet. I still have a few things to adjust on it. As well as a few more parts to buy." Hiccup was lazily looking out the window. He hated it when people questioned him about trivial things.

"Still?! You've been building that car from the ground up for the past two years. Ever since you first got your license. You'd think someone as smart as you would have it done by now." Snarl chuckled at Hiccups misfortune. Which only put Hiccup in a more foul mood.

"It's not about brain power. It's about finances. My only source of income is my minimum wage job, and the occasional job I get from the boss. Which quite frankly, don't pay as much as you'd think. I live alone, so all of my money goes towards living expenses, and the spare change goes towards the car. It's a good thing I turned eighteen before my old man kicked the bucket. Or else I would have had to go live in a foster home." Hiccup thought about his father and cursed himself for bringing it up. His mood only worsened.

"Well. Tonight is gonna pay big. There is only four people involved so each of us gets a twenty-five percent cut, after the boss takes his cut, and its supposed to be a big load being delivered in an armored truck to a big shot bank in the richer part of town. If we pull this off you'll be able to finish that car and live comfortably for years to come." Snarl was more optimistic than Hiccup. Hiccup only saw this job as an annoyance, because he knew he'd be out late. This night was a school night and Hiccup knew he'd be late again.

"Hopefully." Hiccup gave a simple reply because he wasn't the talkative type.

After a while the two boys arrived at their gangs hide out. It was a run down warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Hiccup and Snarl were apart of a criminal organization, or more simply, a gang known as "The Outcasts". It was a relatively small, yet powerful gang that had a strong influence in the northern part of the City known as Berk.

"Alright. Let's head inside." Snarl turned the car off and stepped out. Hiccup let out a deep sigh, then stepped out as well.

Hiccup and Snarl walked up to the warehouse and knocked on the door, but there was a pattern. One knock, pause, two knocks, pause, one knock, pause, three knocks, pause, then one last single knock. After the pattern was over, the door opened to reveal a group of people all wearing dragon masks.

"Welcome back. Snarl. Hiccup." A giant of a man; even bigger than Snarl, spoke. His mask was that of a white dragon, with big tusks coming out from its jowls.

"Good to be back sir." Snarl greeted and stood up straight. Almost as if he were about to salute his boss.

"It's whatever. When's the job starting?" Hiccup asked uninterestedly. He just wanted to get the job done, go home, and do what he actually enjoys doing. Working on his car.

"Hahaha! That's what I like about you Hiccup. You don't give a damn. You just get straight to the point and say fuck the small shit. Well, the job starts now. The armored truck is enroute to the bank as we speak. It will pass through the street that Berk Private High is on. That's where we ambush it. Im sending out four people. Two squads of two. And two cars. Snarl and Hiccup. You two are squad one. Kamikaze and Dagur are squad two. Since Hiccup is the smartest and most level headed out of the group, he will be the overseer of the mission. I chose you four for a reason. Snarl and Dagur have the fastest cars and know how to use them. Hiccup has his brains. Finally, Kamikaze has her ability to be effective with just about any weapon or tool you give her. Now head out. You have to be on the street within ten minutes or else the operation fails." The Boss dismissed the four assigned to take the mission. He had high hopes for the success of the mission.

Everyone got in the cars and drove off. Hiccup and Snarl in the Red Camaro. Kamikaze and Dagur in a Yellow Charger. They kept a valid line of communication through walkie talkies.

"So Hiccup. What's the plan pretty boy? How are we going to catch and enter the truck safely?" Kamikaze asked through the walkie talkie.

"I already have a plan all worked out. All I need is a bandana to cover my face. What I propose we should do is, block the road with one of the cars pop the hood and wait. Ill be in front of the vehicle acting like im having car troubles. The truck will have no choice but to stop. The driver will probably get out to see whats going on. At that point you all sneak into the back of the truck. Fill the duffle bags full and get out. This way there doesn't have to be a high-speed chase or any shooting for that matter." Hiccup explained the plan over the radio. Everyone seemed to think it was ok, except for Dagur.

"I wanted a really fast car chase and a lot of shooting. A heist isn't a heist unless something, or soneone gets filled with lead." Dagur laughed maniacally. He wasn't right in the head. He was fascinated with blood, death, and destruction. He was also a loose cannon.

"If we wake up the neighborhood with gun shots there will be more witnesses, and they could recognize both cars. At least my way all it will take to get rid of the heat is a new paint job for the Camy. Less witnesses equals more likelihood of succeeding. " Hiccup spoke as unenthusiastic as he normally does. He didn't like explaining simple things to deranged idiots.

"Fine." Dagur gave a huff and conceded to Hiccup's idea. He didn't like Hiccup all that much. He found him to be quite useless. Dagur's train of thought involved a "might is always right" complex. The exact opposite of Hiccup's.

The two squads showed up to the target area with time to spare. So they spent that time setting everything up. Once everything was in place Dagur, Snarl, and Kamikaze hid nearby. Hiccup took off his mask and replaced it with a bandana, then he pulled his hood over his head. It's a good thing its winter time. It gave him a perfect excuse to be wearing the bandana.

After about five minutes the truck came into view and just like Hiccup said, it stopped. The driver exited the truck and started walking over to Hiccup.

"Is everything alright mister?" The driver of the truck had a deep masculine voice.

"Uhh. No my car broke down. Think you could give me a hand?" Hiccup acted innocent and ignorant. He was just a simple teenager with car troubles. Not suspicious at all. Hiccup gave the others the signal to move in by scratching the back of his head.

The others moved quickly and quietly to the rear of the truck. To their good fortune, there was only a simple padlock between them and the money. Kamikaze quickly cut the lock and motioned for the others to move inside the truck. When they got in, the walls of the truck were lined with stacks of money. Hiccup was doing a good job of keeping the driver distracted, and to make it seem more believable, Hiccup had uncooked the wire connected to the spark plug. A common citizen wouldn't know anything about the makings of a car, so Hiccup could buy all the time the others needed.

"Man. I wish I knew more about cars. It seems I can't help ya son. Where do ya live? The least I can do is give ya a ride home." The driver politely gestured.

"I actually live right there. I was just backing out of my driveway when the car broke down. I couldn't push it back, well because I'm a little scrawny as you can tell. If you could help me push it back into the driveway that would be enough. " Hiccup scratched the back of his head again, seemingly embarrassed, but what he was really doing was telling the others to head out.

He figured they had enough time to get all the cash, and he was right. They were already out of sight.

The driver helped Hiccup push the car into the nearby driveway, and got back into the truck and drove off. Hiccup reconnected the spark plug wire and started the car right up. The plan was for them to rendezvous back at the hideout, so Hiccup started heading back there.

"Damn. I really don't like bulky muscle cars. They are way too loud and hard to control. I would much rather drive a tuner. I'll be glad when I get the Night Fury finished. Won't ever have to hear Snarl's loud Camaro anymore." Hiccup was annoyed that he volunteered himself to drive the Camaro back. He really hated muscle cars.

It took Hiccup eight minutes to get back to the hideout. He saw Dagur's Charger sitting outside and figured that the other three made it back safe. He parked the Camaro by the Charger, turned off the ignition and got out. He walked up to the door of the hideout and heard everyone screaming inside. He assumed they were celebrating, so he decided to walk in and join.

"AHA! There he is! The man of the hour!" The boss greeted Hiccup as he walked in. He ran over and picked Hiccup up in a bear hug.

"Uh. Thanks boss. I see you're already celebrating." Hiccup was barely able to get words out through the gasps pf air he had to take while in the Boss's iron grip.

"Come on over and sit down. We were just about to divide up the money and party a little bit." The Boss dropped Hiccup and walked over to the chair he was just sitting in and sat down. On the table in front of him was a giant pyramid made of money.

Hiccup walked over to the only empty chair, which happened to be next to Dagur. The boss was going through the money. He took a thirty percent cut, which hardly put a dent in the pyramid. He then divided the rest of it up evenly.

"Take your pile guys. About one point two mil. To each of ya. After this job we wont need to do business for a while. So lets party it up while we still can." The boss pulled out a cooler and a backpack. In the cooler was various alcoholic beverages. Beer, whiskey, bourbon, vodka, tequila, just about every form of alcohol you could think of. In the back pack was an assortment of drugs, such as heroine, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, and salvia.

"Is this really ok boss? You sure?" Snarl was asking, looking like an excited puppy.

"It sure the hell is. Pick your poison guys." The Boss took the bottle of whiskey and started chugging it. Then he let out a big sigh of pleasure and motioned for everyone else to join in.

Kamikaze took the bottle of vodka, and a couple grams of marijuana. Snarl took the bourbon, and some of the ecstasy. Dagur took the bottles of beer, and cocaine. Hiccup thought that wasnt the best choice for Dagur, since he was mentally unstable. He decided to slightly distance himself from Dagur as he did his first line of cocaine. Hiccup looked at his options, and decided to take the tequila. He passed on the drugs this time. It was bad enough he was going to be hungover at school tomorrow.

The party went on until two AM. Everyone was drunk instead of Hiccup. He had been sipping on the bottle pf tequila instead of downing it like everyone else. He was going to do that right before he went to bed. He decided it was about time he left, so he found Snarl and helped him stand.

"I'll be going now. Snarl was my ride here so I guess im the one driving home. Anyways. Til next time." Hiccup turned to walk out the door.

"Hiccup! Wait a minute. I have something to give you." The boss stood up, and walked over to Hiccup. Barely. He had something in his hands.

"What is it boss?" Hiccup asked curiously. He wondered what the boss had in his hand.

"I know you're still having a rough time with that thing about your father being dead and all. This is a little something to help you forget from time to time. If you ever need more, just call me. I'll hook you up." The boss grabbed Hiccup's hand and gave him a baggie filled with assorted colors of pills.

"Thanks boss. What is it?" Hiccup lifted the bag up to his face to examine the contents. He couldn't figure out what it was.

"It's LSD mixed with dragon root. Don't take it all at once. I can usually only handle a couple pills a day. Be careful with that Hiccup. It's a powerful drug." The boss finished talking and walked away. Hiccup just shrugged his shoulders and walked Snarl out to the car.

Hiccup was having a hard time buckling Snarl's seatbelt because he was plastered and everytime Hiccup would barely touch him, he'd start giggling and smack his hands away. After about five minutes Hiccup finally managed to buckle snarl in. Hiccup hopped into the driver seat and put the tequila and LSD under the seat. He started driving home.

Snarl had passed out and was snoring, which annoyed Hiccup to no end.

Hiccup was glad when he finally made it home. He left Snarl asleep in the car, knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to get him in the house. Hiccup put his mask back in its container under the couch coushin, and went upstairs with the bottle of tequila and bag of LSD.

Hiccup laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He thought about alot of things. His car, the gang, his job, and most of all, his father. He thought about his father alot. How he could have prevented him from being in that car wreck that took his life. How he should have been a better son, and not so useless. The more Hiccup thought about his father, the more it hurt. He remembered the Boss's words. Hiccup grabbed the bag of LSD and took one of the pills out.

"Well. It's worth a shot." Hiccup popped the pill in his mouth and swallowed. He didnt feel anything at first, but then it hit him. Hard.

Hiccup was seeing all sorts of colors. Shapes outlined with rainbows. He saw dragons, and Vikings. Everything was so lucid, and bright. His father was the furthest thing from his mind. All he could focus on, was the colors and shapes he was hallucinating. Everything, felt so good. Then it all went black. Hiccup had passed out. He didn't fall asleep crying or cringing. For once, he fell asleep smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 guys. Leave a review of your opinions if there's something you dont like, or something thats not quite right. Or if you just like it.**

Hiccup woke up to the sound of his alarm. The red digits said 6:30am. Hiccup decided he would get out of bed and get ready for school. He went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. While he was waiting for the water to heat up, he brushed his teeth. After he rinsed his mouth out, he took off his clothes. When he took his shirt, he rubbed the scar on his chest. He continued to rub the scar, thinking about how he got it.

***Flashback***

Hiccup was riding in the car with his dad, Stoic. Nicknamed Stoic the Vast, by his demolition buddies. They were arguing about Hiccup's car he was working on.

"Now listen here Hiccup. If you want to finish that car then fine. Just don't expect me to pay for anymore of the parts. It's bad enough you're suping the darn thing up like one of those street racer's cars. You don't need a car that fast, and frankly, it's a waste of money. I should have just gotten you the Hyundai, but no! I caved in and got you the broken down Nissan 350Z. You're lucky it was your eighteenth birthday, or else you would have inherited Skull Basher here." Stoic pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel his blood pressure rising. He figured it was time to take his medication. He opened the center console and pulled out a bottle of pills. He took two out and downed them.

"It's not a waste of money dad! It's something I can actually focus on, and be passionate about. You have no room to talk about broken down cars and going fast. You are a Demolition Derby driver for a living. You destroy cars, I like fixing them. Is it so much to ask for a car to fix to my liking? Huh?" Hiccup argued back with his dad.

Stoic ignored his son. The blood pressure meds weren't taking affect. He could still feel his blood pressure rising. Everything was distorting. His vision became blurred and everything sounded like it was coming from a tunnel. He looked over to see his son screaming at him. He could barely make out the words "Watch out Dad!". He saw Hiccup pointing at the windshield, so he turned to where he was pointing. Stoic panicked when a he saw a tree coming up fast. It was too late to avoid it, they were going to crash.

Stoic was pronounced dead on the scene, and Hiccup was rushed into the hospital for immediate surgery. A splinter from the tree shot through the windshield, and pierced Hiccup on the right side of his chest. It took six hours for the surgeon to remove all pieces of wood from inside Hiccups chest, stitch up the wound, and stabilize him. When Hiccup regained consciousness he was told about his father. He was drowned with wave after wave of sadness, guilt, and remorse.

"It's my fault he's dead. If I hadn't made him mad, his blood pressure wouldn't have risen, and we wouldn't have crashed. It's all my fault."

***Flashback end***

Hiccup was standing in the mirror, looking at the scar. He remembered that he failed his junior year because he refused to go back to school after he got out of the hospital, and was repeating it now.

"Man. I really screwed my life up didnt I? Good luck getting into college dumb ass." Hiccup spoke into the mirror before getting in the shower.

After getting out of the shower Hiccup went back into his room and looked at the alarm again. The time read 7:05. Hiccup decided he had time to spare, so he looked for clothes that he could look presentable in. For once. He found a pair of black jeans, and a grey v-neck t-shirt. He grabbed his brush and started straightening up his hair. He pulled some of it up and decided it was due for a trim.

"There ya go. You actually look decent for once Hiccup. Now I should get going." Hiccup spoke as he admired himself in the mirror on his wall.

Hiccup was about to walk out of the room, when he spotted the bag of LSD out of the corner of his eye. He walked over and picked it up. He hesitated before opening the bag and taking a single pill out.

"I'm gonna take this when I get to school. It should help me get through the day. Well at least through the harassment Snotlout and his crew of idiots put me through." Hiccup put the pill in his pocket and walked out of the room.

Hiccup went down stairs to see Snarl in his kitchen. He was chugging a bottle of orange juice. Once he was done he turned to Hiccup.

"Gotta get rid of this hangover man. Anyways, you ready to head out for school? I think I might skip today, but I'll still take you." Snarl had a hand on his forehead as if he were fighting a bad headache.

"You should stay here. You'll probably puke if you drive. I'll drive." Hiccup walked over and put a sympathetic hand on Snarl's shoulder.

"Fine. But if I find a single scratch on the Camy when you get home, you're dead." Snarl reluctantly handed his keys to Hiccup. If it wasn't for the splitting headache he had, he would never have given Hiccup the keys.

"Don't worry. She'll be safe with me. I'll be back around three. Don't puke anywhere til then." Hiccup spoke as he ran out the front door. He hopped into the Camaro, and drove off.

Hiccup arrived at school on time, at about 7:25. He saw all the other kids walking in the school, and immediately started dreading his day. He pulled the LSD pill out of his pocket, and after a moment he popped it in his mouth and swallowed it.

"Today, is gonna be a good day." Hiccup got out of the car and locked it. He started walking uo the stairs to the school entrance when he saw Snotlout. He was by himself.

"Hey there Henry. How ya doin runt?" Snotlout stopped Hiccup at the doorway. He put a brotherly arm over Hiccup's shoulder.

"Ugh. Nothing much Snotlout. Also, don't call me by my real name. Call me Hiccup." Hiccup grabbed Snotlout's hand off his shpulder and shoved it away.

"Hiccup? Pretty lame name isn't it? Huh runt? I'll call you what ever I want." Snotlout shoved Hiccup into the wall.

The LSD had taken affect so Hiccup couldn't help but laugh at Snotlout. This angered Snotlout, and he was about to throw a punch at Hiccup, when a blonde headed girl walked up.

"Leave him alone Snotlout. He's not worth your time. He has enough problems. He's useless in class, and he's useless in a fight. You wouldn't feel good beating the snot out of someone who couldn't defend themself would you?" The blonde girl pitied Hiccup, and she had some sort of control over Snotlout, because he withdrew his fist.

"Hahaha! I have more problems than you could count, but the big problem here is, that Snotlout is pussy whipped. I mean you said one word and he stopped. Hahaha!" Hiccup leaned on Snotlout because he couldn't control his laughter. His statement only angered Snotlout more, and he was about to punch Hiccup when he noticed the blonde girl giving him a peircing glare.

"Fine. Astrid saved your ass "Hiccup". You better say thank you." Snotlout picked Hiccup up and threw him against the wall.

Hiccup stuck his tongue out at Snotlout, and made a farting noise. He tried getting up, but was too dizzy because of the LSD. Astrid noticed and walked up to him.

"Do you need help up? Are you so useless that you can't even stand yourself up?" Astrid offered Hiccup a hand but he smacked it away.

"Sorry princess, but I don't need help from someone who let Snotlout hit it from the back." Hiccup jumped up quickly, and leaned against the wall to wait for everything to stop spinning.

"You jerk! That never happened! Me and him aren't even a thing! I have no interest in him! I don't like jocks with an IQ of fifty!" Astrid had smacked Hiccup on the cheek.

Hiccup grabbed Astrid by the arm and twirled her around so that he was pinning her against the wall. She didn't except it since it was coming from the boy who I was useless at everything.

"Never, and I mean never, slap me again. If you try I'll break your hand. I was just going by what Snotlout said. If you're going to slap anyone slap him." Hiccup was trying to restrain Astrid, but she was stronger than she looked. He was having a hard time keeping her pinned down.

"Fine. Just let me go asshole. I have to get to class." Astrid demanded that Hiccup let her go, but she softened a bit when she looked into Hiccup's eyes. She noticed that they were empty, yearning, but there was something else. Once she knew what it was, she cringed.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Hiccup asked curiously. He loosened his grip on Astrid, and let her move out from under him.

"You're high. I can see it in your eyes. You're doing drugs arent you? I never would have thought soneone like you would stoop that low. You really are useless." Astrid nodded her head and walked past Hiccup into the school.

"Yeah. Well what do you know? Stupid girl." Hiccup said to himself quietly. He walked into the school as well.

The school day had gone by quickly. Hiccup's high had worn off during fourth period, and he was about to pass out. He was in fifth period and only had thirty more minutes in the day. He just had to make it thirty more minutes, before he could leave the place he called prison. He was staring at the clock, watching the second hand tick ever so slowly. Before the second hand could make it all the way around, Hiccup fell asleep. About ten minutes passed before Hiccup would be woken up.

"Henry. Henry! Henry Haddock wake up now!" The teacher had shaken Hiccup furiously. She saw his eyes slowly flutter open.

"Yes ma'am? Is something wrong?" Hiccup lifted his head up and looked at the teacher. She had a look of rage on her visage.

"Yes Henry. You hardly ever show up for school, and when you do you sleep in my class. You are failing Math class. If you don't get your act together you will have to repeat junior year again. That's why, I'm assigning you a tutor. One of the brightest in the junior academy. Astrid Hofferson." The teach had made her decision and was going to stick to it.

"What!?" Astrid and Hiccup said in unison. They looked at each other, and gave each other a disgusted look.

"Please miss. Don't make me tutor that useless dunce. He won't learn. I promise you that." Astrid pleaded with the teacher but she wasn't having any of it.

"You will tutor him. No ifs ands or buts." The teacher was stern and resolved, so all Astrid could do was comply.

"Great. I have Snotlout's plaything as a tutor. This is gonna be nothing but fun." Hiccup spoke sarcastically which earned a growl from Astrid.

"Henry, she is about the only one I can think of, that can turn your school life around. You will listen to everything she has to say, and will give her no sass. Understood?" The teacher talked down to Hiccup like he was a kindergartener.

"Yes ma'am. Understood." Hiccup reluctantly complied. He was going to be miserable.

The bell rang right after that whole fiasco and everyone quickly exited the room. Hiccup was about to leave as well, when Astrid stopped him.

"What do you want?" Hiccup asked begrudgingly. He really did not enjoy Astrid's company.

"You should take me to your house. If im tutoring you, I'd like to start now. So I should know where you live." Astrid had half demanded, and half asked for Hiccup to take her to his house.

"Ugh. Fine. No use in arguing with you. You're as stubborn as a rock. Follow me." Hiccup lead Astrid out of the school into the parking lot. From there he took her to the car he was borrowing from Snarl.

"Really? This is your ride? You're shitting me." Astrid was honestly surprised that Hiccup drove to school in such a nice car.

"Actually. It's not. My car is much better, but I'm still working on it. So I borrow this car from a friend every now and then. I honestly hate muscle cars. Way too loud. Hurry up and get in." Hiccup got in the car and started it, Astrid hopped in too, and was admiring the inside. The designer leather, the custom gauges, the mahogany wood dash and trim.

"That can't be the only reason you hate these cars. No one hates a muscle car. Hell if I was like the other girls, I'd probably sleep with just about anyone who drives one, but I have higher standards." Astrid started rubbing the dash of the car. It was so sleek, and clean.

"You're right. It's not. The car crash that killed my dad, was with a muscle car. If I remember correctly it was a 1978 Pontiac FireBird. A stupid car with no control." Hiccup drove out of the school parking lot and started driving towards his house.

"Oh. That makes more sense. So, how have you been, since your father died? I mean, besides the drugs." Astrid started twirling her thumbs around one another.

"I'd rather not talk about it. Best not to get personal with the useless druggie. Wouldn't want to ruin your reputation, or worse yet, I wouldn't want to upset your boy toy Snotlout." Hiccup was really annoyed. He forgot to use his turn signal on a turn, which was unlike him.

"I was just asking. No need to be so bitchy. Also, I already told you, I have nothing to do with him. We haven't had sex, we haven't kissed, we haven't hugged, we hardly even talk. I actually hate his guts. I rejected him when he asked me out, and he spread a rumor. That's all that happened." Astrid crossed her arms and huffed. She looked out the window and noticed they were heading into the wealthier part of town.

"We are almost there. My house is kind of a mess, so don't be shocked. Also I have a buddy staying there with me, and he's kinda, well I dont know how to explain how he is. You'll just have to see for yourself." Hiccup took the turn down his street and Astrid was looking at all the fine architecture on all the houses.

"You have to be joking. You live here?" Astrid was amazed by the neighborhood. It was so clean, and so calm.

"Yes. To be technical, I live there." Hiccup pointed to the house on the end of the street. It was s bit bigger than all the others, and a bit nicer too.

"No way. How can you afford it?" Astrid was dumbfounded by the size of Hiccup's house. She didn't think soneone like him could possibly live in such a nice house.

"When my dad died, he left me about eight-hundred thousand dollars. I used that to buy and fix up the place. Its all payed off, and I'm still living comfortably. Anymore questions nosey?" Hiccup asked sarcastically.

"No. I'm good. I was just kind of shocked a jack ass like you can live in a place like this." Astrid turned to Hiccup and gave him a smug look.

"Well. Get out. We've been parked for five minutes. I didn't want to interrupt you from admiring my house." Hiccup gave his own smug remark.

"Wait. Was I really staring for five minutes?" Astrid started blushing from embarrassment. She didn't realize she had been that awestruck.

"You actually look almost cute when you're embarrassed. Almost." Hiccup got out of the car and walked up to the front door, Astrid in tow.

"You jerk." Was all astrid had to say to Hiccups statement.

"Well. Welcome to Casa De Hiccup. Or House of Hiccup for commoners." Hiccup liked showing off his wealth. He liked making Astrid feel small, and with the one point two million he just got from his last heist, he was gonna have fun doing it even more.

"Hiccup? Why is it called that?" Astrid asked curiously. She was wondering why the house had such a wierd name.

"Well, my nickname is Hiccup. So I call my house, House of Hiccup. Kinda obvious there. Surprised one of the top students couldn't figure that out on her own." Hiccup teased Astrid. He enjoyed it. He loved it. It made him feel powerful.

"That means nothing coming from someone with the lowest percentages in school." Astrid had a point, but little did she know that Hiccup was actually quite smart.

"I have the lowest percentages because I don't show up. Here look at this." Hiccup walked over to the kitchen, and took a piece of paper off the fridge.

"It's an IQ sheet. Wait...this can't be right. You have an IQ of one hundred and eighty?! No freaking way! That would mean you're a genius!" Astrid was once again baffled by Hiccup. In her mind, there was no possible way Hiccup's IQ was that high.

"Well. Believe it. It's on paper. Official stamp and everything. Now, do you still think I need a tutor?" Hiccup asked uninterestedly. Although he did enjoy belittling Astrid, he didn't like it when people doubted his intelligence.

"Well, no. I guess not, but the teacher thinks you do. So I guess ill have to act like I'm tutoring you. That means you're still stuck with me." Astrid gave Hiccup an evil grin, as if she were going to enjoy torturing Hiccup.

"Fine. What do you plan on doing? Just sit around here until you get called home?" Hiccup's mood was getting worse and worse. He started thinking about the LSD pills.

"I don't know. What do you have to do around here?" Astrid asked as she started looking around his house for sonething to do.

"Well I'm usually working in my car, out and about with Snarl, or in bed reading." Hiccup answered honestly, well, honestly enough. At the mention of Snarl, Hiccup wondered where he could have gone.

"Snarl? Who is that? You're buddy you borrowed the car from?" Astrid chuckled when she asked her question. She found it humorous that a person's nickname was Snarl.

"Actually yes. He should be here. I wonder where he is. Wait, whats this?" Hiccup looked over and found a note with Snarl's handwriting on it.

The note read.

"Hiccup, something came up with the boss. He told me, to tell you, not to worry. I should be back some time around seven. I'm leaving my car in your hands til then. Scratch her and I kill you. Remember that. ~Sincerely, Snarl

P.S. I kinda drank all the OJ, Milk, Coffee, and I'm being honest here, I just about cleared out your fridge. The next time you go grocery shopping its on me."

Hiccup put the note down and opened the fridge. It was practically empty.

"Well. At least he was honest." Hiccup closed the fridge, and sighed.

"What is it?" Astrid was concerned because Hiccups demeanor had changed.

"Oh, nothing. Looks like we have the place to ourselves for a while." Hiccup scratched the back of his head, and groaned.

"Want some help working on your car?" Astrid asked seriously. She actually just wanted to see the car that Hiccup claimed was better than the Camaro.

"No. I haven't ordered the parts I need yet." Hiccup was heading towards the stairs. He didn't know what to do. He never had to entertain soneone before.

"I can help you with that. I know my way around a car, and I can find you some premium parts online for cheap. Just tell me what you need and I'll find it." Astrid was kind of glad that she and Hiccup had something in common.

"Uhh, I guess you can. Well. Come on upstairs then." Hiccup was confused as to why Astrid was being so friendly all of a sudden.

Astrid and Hiccup walked upstairs and into Hiccups room. Astrid sat at the computer, and Hiccup laid on the bed. She was looking up parts, and he was thinking about the LSD.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3 GUYS WHOOP! Also, to the guy who left a review about this story being step by step. Well it kinda is. If you read the first chapter or even the summary, you'd see this story is from a third person point of view. Think of it as these events have already happened, and a narrator is just recalling them. Anyways, guys leave a review or even favorite it. Just show me that you are still following along.**

Astrid was on the computer in Hiccup's room, and he was laid down on the bed. He was thinking about various things like, what he should spend his one point two million dollars on, whether or not he should take another LSD pill, and most of all, his father. Hiccup's mind always seemed to roam to his father whether he wanted it to or not. He was so deep in thought that he barely heard Astrid talking to him.

"So Hiccup. What kind of car is it you're working on? I need to know if I'm going to help you find parts." Astrid had turned the spinning chair towards Hiccup. She was looking at him expecting an answer right away, but it took him a while.

"Oh, uhm, I'm working on a 2009 Nissan 350z. My father bought it for me when I turned eighteen. It was nothing but an empty shell when I bought it. Im almost done with it, I just need a few more parts. It's driveable, I just want to put on the finishing touches." Hiccup was glad Astrid asked him about the car. It was just about the only thing, that could keep his mind from wandering to dark places.

"Oh, so you're a Tuner guy. Pretty nice. What parts are you needing?" Astrid was interested in Hiccup's taste of car. In a way, she thought that the car he liked reflected him as a person. Well the old Hiccup anyway. Just like a Tuner, he used to be cool, collected, and in control.

"Yeah. I need Turbo, a racing cold air intake system, a top tier intercooler, and an up to date racing ECU. Money is not a problem, so if you find something good, tell me. I'd like a twin turbo system if you can find it." Hiccup looked over and saw Astrid's face. Her mouth was open and her eyes were wide.

"Are you trying to kill yourself? How fast do you need to go? Without the parts, how much horsepower and pounds of torque are you pushing?" Astrid couldn't believe Hiccup wanted to make a car that fast.

"I'd have to say right now, im pushing about seven hundred and twenty horsepower and about four hundred, maybe five hundred pounds of torque. Why?" Hiccup was confused as to why Astrid was upset.

"That's not a tuner Hiccup, you're building it like a muscle car. This car wont have any control." Astrid was getting more and more upset. She couldn't help it. If Hiccup over estimates his cars control, he could get hurt.

"Not to worry. I'm fully aware of what im doing. I have the best suspension, brakes, and distribution possible for the car. I know I'm right about this. Once the ECU, cooler, and intake systems are fitted, I can redistribute the torque to the front or back tires, to it's optimal state, so I still get the speed I want, as well as the control. The turbo is just added power that shouldn't affect the handling of the car in anyway. I've thought this out." Hiccup explained his plan, and Astrid calmed down a bit. She figured he didn't over estimate his car, he knows exactly what he's doing and how to adjust.

"I guess you do have it thought out. Only you would be the one to try it. I'm gonna ask again. Why do you want to go so fast?" Astrid was serious with her question. She needed to know before she helped him. If he was just going to kill himself in a blaze of glory, she wanted no part of it.

"Do you want an honest answer? If I tell you, you'll pity me, and feel bad for me. I don't need that." Hiccup sat up and clutched the edge of the bed tightly.

"Yes. I do." Astrid stood up and walked towards Hiccup, so she could sit beside him.

"Fine. I want to go fast, because I want to run away from my problems. I figure, the faster I go, the farther I'll get. The farther away from this life, this place, the better. I want to drive, so fast, that every memory becomes a whisper in the wind. Also, I want to put all I have into this car. I want it to be perfect, because my dad bought it for me. It's one of the only things I will have to remember him by, once I leave." Hiccup started tearing up. He thought about leaving many times, but never had the courage to do it. He thought, that he would be leaving sonething important behind. He thought, he would be leaving his father if he didn't finish the car.

"Hiccup...I had no idea. I didn't know you were hurting so much. If I had known, I wouldn't have said those things. I would never have called you useless. It's just, you never show it." Astrid put a sympathetic hand on Hiccup's shoulder. She felt bad for all the pain he went through, and how she contributed to making it worse.

"Exactly. If you had known you would have treated me so nice. Like I was some kind of frail puppy that couldn't do anything on his own. People are fake! They see someone who is happy, and try their hardest to make them miserable! Then, if they see someone who is miserable, they act so nice, and comfort them! They practically shower them with affection! Pretty fucked up isn't it?" Hiccup wasn't sure if he was angry, or glad Astrid was treating him nicely. He wasn't sure if he even deserved to be treated nicely. He just knew, he didn't want to be pitied.

"Hiccup..." Astrid withdrew her hand from Hiccup's shoulder. She didn't know how to deal with this situation.

"That's right. And you're no different. Spare me your sympathy. You could never know what it feels like to have no parents. I live in this house alone. I have money but nothing i buy seems fulfilling. I still feel empty. Almost as if a part of my soul itself was ripped out, the day my father was ripped from my life." Hiccup jumped up off the bed, and started pacing around his room. He had his hands tangled in his hair, and he started mumbling.

Hiccup was snapped out of his pacing by the ring of his phone. He quickly grabbed it realizing it was the phone meant specifically for Outcast use. He answered it and The Boss was on the other side.

"Hiccup, we have some bad news. Last night, someone saw you and the others take the money from the truck. We got the police report right here. It says an Astrid Hofferson reported seeing the truck getting broken into late last night. It also says she goes to your school. I have a job for you. I want you to spend a little time getting to know her. Suck up to her, fuck her, just do whatever it takes for her to trust you. This is so it doesn't look suspicious when you kill her. I don't care how long it takes, just be sure you do it before she finds anything out. Right now the police doesn't have hard evidence, so it will take them a while to catch on. Also, watch out for Dagur. I think he did a little too much coke this morning. He's pretty pissed, and said he was going after his "brother" or some shit. I dont know. Just be careful. Talk to ya later Hiccup." The Boss hung up, and the phone started making the dial tone, before Hiccup could process what he was just told. Astrid Hofferson, saw the jacking, and told the police.

"Is everything ok Hiccup? You were kinda spacing out there." Astrid was in front of Hiccup waving her hand in his face. She was worried because his expression went from grieving to confused in mere seconds.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Listen, I'm sorry about the stuff I said. It's just, talking about my dad puts me in a bad mood. Are you hungry? I can cook something." Hiccup had a job now. He could focus on that, and not his father. He had to gain Astrid's undoubted trust, then kill her.

"I could eat, but judging from your Home Ec grade, I should be the one cooking." Astrid snickered. She enjoyed teasing Hiccup, although she knew she shouldn't do it. She just couldn't help it.

"Haha very funny. Did you come up with that on your own? Anyways, I can actually cook, I just don't put in any effort at school. Follow me to the kitchen." Hiccup walked out of his room and Astrid followed. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was enjoying spending time with Hiccup.

"So, what are you gonna cook for me Chef? Something Gourmet, or perhaps something simple?" Astrid was using a her best "Rich old lady" expression. It made Hiccup smile a bit, and this made Astrid feel good on the inside.

"I was just going to make a homemade pizza from scratch. That's about all my buddy left me the ingredients for. He practically cleaned me out. I can make my own dough, tomato sauce, and the finest of cheeses. Also any other odds and ends you might enjoy. I'd say thats gourmet enough for you."

Hiccup walked into the kitchen and gathered all the ingredients he would need and Astrid just watched; Amused that the sad boy who gets bullied everyday, was treating her to dinner. She was surprised Hiccup was serious about making everything from scratch. He was currently making the dough, and once that was done he started spreading it and spinning it in the air.

"You're pretty good with your hands. How'd you learn to use them so well?" Astrid walked next to Hiccup to get a closer look at what he was doing.

"My dad taught me everything I know. How to cook, how to work on cars, even how to play a few instruments. He was great with his hands too." Hiccup started making the tomato sauce. He chopped up a few tomatoes with blinding speed and tossed them into s bowl. He added some spices, and started whisking. Astrid watched as the chopped tomatoes quickly became a pasty liquid.

"A few instruments you say? What instruments can you play?" Astridvwas curious. She wanted to know more about Hiccup for some reason. Until now, he was just a blank, mysterious apparition in the background to her.

"Well, now I can play just about any instrument you hand me. However, I started out playing the guitar, piano, and drums. So those are my specialties. I also fancy the cello. I just like it's deep melodic sound." Hiccup spread the tomato sauce over the dough evenly. Astrid was surprised how evenly he covered the pizza. There were no spots with too much sauce, and there were no spots without any sauce.

"Maybe after we eat you could play sonething for me? I'm kind of interested in how good you really are." Astrid asked politely. She was being honest, mostly. She wasn't interested in how good he was, she was interested in him.

"Yeah, sure. No problem. Anything special you want on this pizza? I have pepperoni, sausage, peppers, black olives, mushrooms, just about anything you could want." Hiccup had already started shredding the cheese. He chose to go with a simple yet always satisfying cheese. Cheddar.

"I'd like everything. Haha! I'm not picky. So just throw it all on there. I'm sure it will turn out just fine. Instead of waiting til after we eat, how about you play sonething for me while it's cooking?" Astrid was engulfed in anticipation. She didn't know why, she just wanted to see what Hiccup is about. What kind of person he really is.

"That's fine. Well I'm putting it in the oven. It will be about fifteen minutes before it's done. Follow me upstairs. I'll show you the music room." Hiccup put the pizza in the oven and walked out of the kitchen and back up the stairs with Astrid right behind him.

They were walking down the long hallway until they reached the final door on the left. Hiccup opened the door and let Astrid go inside first. She was in awe. The room was huge, and three of the walls were covered with various instruments, in the back of the room was a drum set, and against the one empty wall was a baby grand piano.

"Holy shit Hiccup! This is incredible. You can play all of these? That's unreal. Just how much free time do you have?" Astrid walked up to one of the walls and touched a blue guitar, with black strings. It was so clean and pristine.

"I haven't bought any other instruments in a few months. Most of my money goes towards the car and living expenses. If I have a little left over, I buy an instrument I think I would enjoy playing. Although you are the only other person who's seen this room. If anyone else saw it, they'd think I had money just sitting around and would want hand outs. To be honest, I inherited most of these from my dad. I actually only bought a few guitars, a couple cellos, the piano, and the drum set. All the other's were my dad's. The one you're touching now was his favorite. An authentic original 1957 Gibson Les Paul custom. Very few were made. That guitar, is probably worth more than all the instruments in this room combined two times over." Hiccup walked up and looked at the guitar. He could see his reflection in the polished body.

"Oh. I'm so sorry for touching it. I didn't know. It's so valuable. Probably worth more than my house. How'd your dad afford it? If you don't mind me asking" Astrid noticed Hiccup staring at the guitar intensely. So she figured she wouldn't get an answer, but she did.

"He got lucky. He found it at a pawn shop. The seller mistook it for a 1958 model. That model is still expensive, but there were more of them made than the 1957 custom. So he bought it for about two thousand dollars. If the seller didn't make that mistake, I'd say the real price would have been more like fifty thousand. He really lucked out. Now about that song. Anything particular you want to hear?" Hiccup turned to Astrid who was still staring at the guitar. He snapped his fingers in front of her face to get her attention.

"Oh. Something original on the piano. Sonething soft, and melodic." Astrid was blushing. She didn't realize she was staring so hard at the guitar.

"Ok. Sounds easy enough." Hiccup walked over and sat down on the piano bench. He positioned his hands and started playing. The sound hit Astrid's ears with a wave of euphoria. It was so perfect, so peaceful, so soft.

"Hiccup. It sounds beautiful. You're really good." Astrid sat on the bench beside Hiccup. The bench was small, so her shoulder was rubbing against his. She noticed and started blushing. She was scared that she might throw Hiccup off.

"Thanks. I wrote this a few months after my dad died. I named it "The Lone Dragon, Who Lost His Way". Kind of a stupid title I know, but it just seemed right." Hiccup's fingers moved so gracefully across the keys, even while he was talking. He never missed a note.

"It's a great title."

Astrid sat beside Hiccup silently as he continued to play. She didn't speak because she didn't want to ruin the moment they were having. She enjoyed every note, every keystroke. The music, made her feel at peace. She listened, and Hiccup played, until the timer on the oven went off. Hiccup stoped playing and sat there for a moment.

"Well, I guess the pizza is done. Let's go eat." Hiccup stood up and closed the key cover on the piano. He started walking out of the room.

"Yeah. I'm starving." Astrid followed Hiccup out of the room and down the stairs. The smell of the pizza filled her nose and she felt as if she were in heaven.

Hiccup walked into the kitchen and put on an oven mit. He turned the oven off, and opened the door. He carefully pulled out the pizza and the smell only got stronger. Astrid practically started drooling and Hiccup couldn't help but smile. It was the first tine he actually enjoyed having company over since his father died.

"Alright dig in before it gets cold. I'll drive you home after we're done. We'll even take my car. So you can see what a real car is supposed to be like." Hiccup sat the pizza on a nearby table, and took a seat. Astrid took the seat next to Hiccup.

"Ok then. Sounds great." Astrid took a piece of the pizza and took a bite. The flavor exploded in her mouth. It was the tastiest thing she had eaten in a long time.

"Hey Astrid. If you could have any car in the world, which would you pick?" Hiccup was making small talk so they didn't have to eat in silence.

"I'd have to say a 2011Lotus Exige. I'm a fan of exotics. Speed and luxury is the way I like it. Not nearly as fast as you want to go though. That's just insane. Why do you ask?" Astrid asked as she picked up another piece of pizza, not realizing she had three pieces already.

"Just curious. Just wanting to know what kind of car my new friend likes." Hiccup had just finished his second piece, when he reached down for another realizing there was only one left.

"Whoops. Sorry. I guess I ate more than I should of. I tend to have a big appetite. I never gain an ounce of weight though. Thank the gods for High metabolism. Wait...did you say friend?" Astrid was stunned that Hiccup called her a friend. Just a few hours ago he would have told her she was annoying and to go away.

"Yeah. Something wrong with that? We are friends now, aren't we?" Hiccup asked curiously. He was worried, not foe the potential failure of the mission, but because he actually wanted to be Astrid's friend.

"Yes. We are friends from now on. Now I should get home. My mom is probably worried sick about me." Astrid wiped her mouth off and stood up from the table.

"Alright. Let's go. Follow me to the garage." Hiccup stood up from the table and walked through the house until he reached the garage door. He unlocked it with his keys and opened it. Astrid was the first to walk in and she gasped when she saw what was inside. There was a matte black Nissan 350Z with a rear wing spoiler, custom body kit, and green xenon head lights.

"This, is your car? It's so cool." Astrid ran her hand across the smooth surface of the car. It was cold to the touch, but that was to be expected since the car was sitting in the garage year round.

"Yep. Now let me show you what it can do." Hiccup pressed a button on his key and the car unlocked. He went over to the driver side and got in. Astrid hopped into the passenger side and buckled her seat belt. She was even more amazed with the interior. It was all sleek and black, a roll cage was added, and there were racing seats in the front.

When Hiccup turned the key, the car roared to a start. Every gage in the car lit up. Astrid noticed a light coming from outside the car so she poked her head out the window to see. The car had a green underglow added to it.

"This car is amazing. It's hard to believe you built it from an empty shell." Astrid was baffled by how much effort Hiccup put into this car.

"I call it the Night Fury. Just listen to that engine. Sounds ferocious doesn't it?" Hiccup revved the engine a couple of times and it echoed through out the entire garage.

"Fitting name. We should hurry and get going. I don't want to get chewed out by my parents."

"Hurry you say? Well I can do that." Hiccup pressed a button on the dash of the car, and the garage door opened. He revved the engine a couple more times before putting it in gear and accelerating out of the garage at a breakneck speed.

Hiccup was breaking the speed limit to get Astrid home in record time. He had a CB Radio in the car so he knew where the cops were at all times. Astrid was holding on to her seatbelt for dear life. She had never gone so fast in a car before, so she wasn't used to it. The upside is, it only took Hiccup five minutes to get her home using the back roads.

"We're here. I thought I was gonna die for a second there. Oh yeah, before I forget. Here's my number. Just incase you might have the crazy idea of hanging out again, give me a call." Astrid had taken a pen out of her pocket and wrote her number on Hiccup's hand. She got out of the car and started walking towards her front door.

"Uhh, sure. Sounds great. See ya later then." Hiccup just nodded and drove off. He couldn't take his eyes off Astrid in his rear view mirror. He felt, a familiar emptiness when she went out of view.

Back at Astrid's house, she was feeling the same thing. She was leaning against her front door. Staring off into space. She didn't notice her mother walking up, until she was right in front of her.

"Is something wrong honey?" Astrid's mother asked curiously.

"Mom, I think...I think I'm in love."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4 GUYS. Sorry it's so late. Took a little break. Anyways. Send a message, post a review or favorite this to let me know how I'm doing.**

Hiccup had just dropped Astrid off. He didn't want to go home to the empty house, so he was just driving around town in his car. He was thinking about Astrid the whole time. He was thinking about her personality, her looks, pretty much every fabric of her being. To him, she seemed perfect. To Astrid, he was the same. Hiccup was snapped from his thoughts when he saw Dagur harassing a bystander on the side of the road.

"What the...?" Hiccup pulled up beside Dagur which caught his attention.

"Ah! Hiccup! Just who I was looking for. I was on my way to your house when I noticed my old friend here. I just had to stop and get reacquainted. Like I reacquainted his face with my fist." The man Dagur was holding by the collar had blood dripping down his shirt and his face was barely recognizable. From what Hiccup could see, the mans jaw and nose were broken.

"Jeez Dagur. What did he do? And why were you on your way too see me?" Hiccup asked questionably. He didn't see any reason for Dagur wanting to see him, then he remembered the Boss's warning.

"Oh he did nothing. That's the thing. He could have kept me from going to jail a year ago, but he left me holding the bag. Now that he's seen both our faces, and knows we're acquainted, I guess I have to kill him now. Oh, and do I need a reason to hang out with my brother in crime?" Dagur pulled a knife out of his pocket, and started dragging the man into a nearby alleyway. Hiccup turned off the car and hopped out to follow him.

"Dagur. Wait! You aren't really going to kill him are you? He's barely alive as it is, and he probably has a concussion. He most likley won't remember any of this." Hiccup pleaded with Dagur to 'll st the man go.

"Oh how much I would like to believe that, but I can't take any chances. So he has to die." Dagur thrusted the knife into the mans neck nonchalantly. The man flailed for a second then his whole body went limp.

"Dagur, you're a murderer. How can you do something like this without hesitation?" Hiccup looked at Dagur with fear in his eyes. He just witnessed a murder, and was face to face with the man who did the deed.

"What else is new? Haha! Also very easily actually. You see, I lack something normal people have. It's called a conscience. I don't care about the people I hurt or kill. Why should I?" Dagur just laughed as he dropped the deceased man on the ground without a care in the world.

"You're a psychopath, and you speak as if you've done this before. Just how many people have you killed?" Hiccup was on guard the entire time he was speaking with Dagur. He had to be careful that he wasn't his next victim.

"Oh quite a few. Quite a few indeed. I've been killing since i was sixteen and I'm twenty now. I'd say I've killed about seven or eight, maybe ten people over four years. About to be one more." Dagur counted on his fingers the number of victims he had slain, then looked maliciously at Hiccup.

Hiccup realized what Dagur meant and tried to run, but Dagur caught him by the arm and pulled him into a head lock. Hiccup tried to get free but Dagur applied pressure on Hiccup's throat and breathing became a chore.

"Shh. The more you move, the harder it gets to breath. I'm gonna let you die slowly. You ruined my fun last night. I didn't get to blow shit up or shoot anyone. So I'm going to take it out on you. Ok?" Dagur took the knife and jabbed it into Hiccup's abdomen, then quickly covered his mouth so no one could hear him scream.

Hiccup's vision started fading to black. He was losing consciousness. He got a bit of relief when Dagur pulled the knife out and dropped him. He tried moving but every muscle contraction in his abdomen only made the wound hurt and bleed even more. Hiccup wouldn't let that stop him however. He endured the pain and stood up. He started walking toward his car when he felt his knee buckle. Dagur had stricken him in the left shin with a rusty pipe. The bone was shattered.

"You aren't going anywhere. You are going to sit there and bleed out like a good little boy. To make sure of that. I think I'll make this leg useless." Dagur started wailing on the leg he had previously broken with the rusty pipe. Every hit breaking the bone into tinier and tinier pieces.

"Dagur. Please. Stop. I'm begging you." Hiccup was overcome with unbearable pain. All he could do was plead with Dagur.

"Now why would I do that? You can beg all you want. I'm not going to let you live. To make sure you don't do anything sneaky like calling the cops, I'll be taking your phone." Dagur reached into Hiccup's pockets and pulled out his cell phone. He broke it in half and laughed.

"Now just die. It's easier than you think. Haha." Dagur walked off and left Hiccup for dead in the alley. Hiccup started panicking

"What do I do. I don't want to die. Please God, or any form of gods. Help me. I can use all the help I can get. Just please. Don't let me die." Hiccup started crying in fear of his imminent demise. He started doing something, he never thought he would. Praying. Praying to the gods for survival.

It had been ten minutes since Dagur left, and Hiccup had lost all hope of surviving. His vision was blurry, and his body was getting heavy. He couldn't think of anyway out of this situation. He looked at the dead man lying beside him, when Hiccup heard something. He heard a ringtone. It was coming from the dead man's shirt pocket.

"No way. He has a phone. I can call an ambulance. I'm gonna live!" Hiccup managed to roll over and grab the phone from the man's pocket. The person calling him had the title of "My Sweet Daughter". Hiccup felt bad, but he pressed ignore. He quickly opened the keypad and dialed 911.

"This is the police how may I help you?" There was a woman on the other end.

"My name is Henry Haddock, and I've been stabbed. There is also a dead body beside me. I witnessed the murder. I'm in the alleyway between the two abandoned buildings on Nadder Street. Please send help. I don't know how much longer I can last." Hiccup strained on every word. His vision started fading again, and he could hear his pulse in his ears get slower and slower. The last thing he remembered hearing before he passed out was "We are sending an ambulance to your location sir. Please hold on until they get there."

The ambulance came and picked Hiccup up. He was in critical condition. He was rushed into the hospital for immediate surgery. As for the man Dagur killed, he was sent to the morgue and his family was contacted. They came and mourned their loss.

Hiccup's surgery was touch and go. It took the doctors several hours to repair the damaged organs and stop the internal bleeding. His leg was irreparable, so that had to amputate it to prevent infection. After Hiccup was stable he was put in a room. He was still under the effects of the anesthesia, and didn't wake up until several hours had passed.

"Ugh. My head hearts. Well at least im alive." Hiccup spoke to himself. He didn't realize someone else was in the room.

"Hiccup. I'm so glad you're ok. The doctor's said you were in critical condition and I was scared you were going to die." Astrid was in the room. She was crying, not tears of sadness but joy that Hiccup was alright.

"Astrid. What are you doing here?" Hiccup was surprised that Astrid was there. He wondered how she found out.

"They called me. They saw my number on your hand. Once I got the call my mom rushed me here. She went home, and I've been here waiting for you to wake up." Astrid obviously showed signs of no sleep. Hiccup wondered what time it was, so he looked over and it was one thirty am.

"I've been out that long? Holy shit. Also, why does my leg feel wierd?" Hiccup was about to pull up the covers and see what was wrong with his leg.

"Hiccup wait." It was too late for Astrid to say something. Hiccup already had the covers removed.

"Oh my God! My leg! It's gone! What the fuck!? Why is my leg gone!?"Hiccup started panicking. His blood pressure started increasing, and he began to hyperventilate.

"Hiccup calm down. They couldn't fix your leg. This was the only choice they had." Astrid tried to calm Hiccup down. She held his hand, spoke gently to him, and it seemed to be working. She saw his blood pressure start to stabilize on the monitor.

"Ok. I'm calm now. I just can't believe, I got messed up so bad. I guess I should count my blessings and be happy that I'm alive. Did they say when I could go home?" Hiccup was trying to wrap his mind around all of the events that happened. He was trying to figure out why Dagur tried to kill him.

"They said it would be a couple of days. If you're lucky and don't push yourself maybe tomorrow." Astrid told Hiccup what the doctor's had told her. He seemed relieved that he wouldn't be in the hospital long.

There was a knock at the door and a female voice came from the other side.

"Mr. Haddock? May I come in?" The woman asked politely.

"Sure. Come on in." Astrid gave the woman permission to come in.

"I'm the one who's going to be taking care of your home caretaker situation. You will need someone to help you around the house. Do you have anyone that could stay with you for about three or four weeks?" The woman asked politely. She was trying to be as gentle and quiet as possible, as not to upset the patient.

"Sorry. No I don't. I don't have any family left. Well any family I know of. Don't really have that many friends willing to put up with me that long either." Hiccup had a melancholic smile. He didn't like mentioning family, or his lack of friends. He joked about it to make himself feel better.

"Oh. Well we could assign you a-" The woman was interrupted by Astrid.

"I'll do it. I'll move in with him and be his caretaker." Astrid was determined. She wanted to help the fragile Hiccup. She felt she needed to help him. This surprised Hiccup.

"Are you a close acquaintance with ." The woman asked politely.

"No. I wouldn't say close. I am a friend though. So it should be fine." Astrid looked at the woman. She looked deep in thought.

"Very well. You will be 's caretaker from now on. While he is in the hospital you should move in to his house. His car is in the parking lot. If you have a license im sure he wouldn't mind if you used it. Would you ?" The woman asked with a giggly smile.

"No. That's fine. Just be gentle with it. Don't wreck it either." Hiccup agreed, albeit reluctantly.

"Ok. I know where your keys are. I'll go ahead and get a head start on moving in." Astrid opened the drawer by Hiccup's bed and picked out his keys.

"Be careful." Hiccup knew how dangerous his car is. He didn't want to be responsible for Astrid getting hurt in his car.

"Don't worry. I won't drive like you. I'll be fine." Astrid joked with Hiccup then ran out of the room past the woman.

"Now that she is gone. I'm going to let the officer come in and speak with you." The woman gestured out the door and a policeman walked in.

"Hello . I'm here to ask you a few questions about your assault. Any info you can give is will be a big help. Ill keep it to yes or no questions."

"Ok." Hiccup answered simply.

"Did you know the attacker?"

"No." Hiccup lied. He couldn't put the gang in jeopardy. That would mean putting himself in trouble.

"Could you give us a description of the attacker? "

"No." Hiccup continued to lie. He didn't know why.

"Did you know the victim?"

"No." Hiccup actually didn't know the victim.

"Could you think of anyone who might have a grudge against you?"

"I'm a scrawny, non-athletic, smart kid in Highschool. I can give you a whole list, but none of them would attack me."

"Very well. Could you identify the attacker by voice recognition?"

"No." Hiccup kept up his fein of ignorance.

"Well. That's all I have to ask. I'll leave you be now . You've been a great help." The officer walked out, and left Hiccup alone.

The two day's went by slowly. Astrid hadn't visited since the first day. She was busy moving all of her stuff into Hiccup's house. She was his ride out of the hospital so he couldn't leave until she got there. This annoyed Hiccup. He wondered just how much stuff she could be moving to make her so late. He really didn't enjoy it when people were late to prior engagements.

"What's taking her so long? I hate hospitals." Hiccup was pouting in his bed. He was finally able to sit upright without much pain. He heard a knock at the door and this drew Hiccup's attention.

" ? May I come in?" It sounded like one of the nurses.

"Yeah. Come on in." Hiccup spoke loudly enough so that the person on the otherside could hear.

" . Miss Hofferson is here to take you home. I'm going to help you into a wheelchair and roll you down to meet her." The nurse had a sweet and serene smile. She walked beside the bed with a wheelchair.

"Thank god. No offense, but I do not like being here." Hiccup sat straight so the woman could help him.

"Alright. Use your arms to push yourself off the bed and into the chair. Don't worry about falling, I'm right here."the woman put one hand on Hiccup's back as support. She lowered the bed to make it easier.

Hiccup lifted himself up with his arms and slid into the chair. Once he got situated comfortably, the woman rolled him out of the room. Hiccup looked at all the sick and dying people as he passed by. It reminded him of his stay after the crash. That was the reason he hated hospitals. He thought he should be dead, but he made it to the hospital and lived. This time was no different for him. He should be dead, but he got lucky. While he was stuck in his thoughts, the woman had already made it to the exit. When he was rolled outside he looked up to see Astrid.

"How's my favorite cripple doing today?" Astrid asked jokingly.

"I'm doing fine. I just want to get some real food. I'm starving." Hiccup grabbed at his stomach. A sharp pain shot through his body. He had forgotten for a second that he had been stabbed in the abdomen.

"Alright. I'll take it from here thanks." Astrid walked over and took Hiccup from the nurse.

"Ok. Drive safe now." The nurse gave one last second before walking back into the hospital.

"What kind of food where you thinking about eating?" Astrid asked as she helped Hiccup into his car.

"I want a big, greasy, sloppy burger from that one place by the school." Hiccup's mouth practically started watering at the thought of the burger.

"Sounds good to me." Astrid had put the wheel chair in the trunk of the car then hot in the driver's seat.

"Great." Hiccup smiled. He was finally going to get some good food in his stomach.

"Haha. You can be cute when you want to. Other than that you are always so gloomy and mysterious." Astrid started the car and drove off.

"Astrid."

"Yes?" Astrid asked curiously.

"Thank you. This means alot. I didn't want to go through this alone." Hiccup was looking down at his leg and smiling sadly. Astrid noticed and gave her own smile.

"No problem."


	5. Chapter 5

**Yeah. I'm back. I don't really have an excuse as to why I was gone for so long. I just lost interest in writing. I also had significantly less time due to college and junk. So here's the fifth chapter if anyone is still reading.**

Hiccup and Astrid were sitting at the Mess Hall, a burger shack notorious for it's viking theme and sloppy burgers. Hiccup was currently ripping into the Mess Hall's famous Zippleback burger. It was big, hot, and spicy all at the same time. Hiccup wasn't saying much, and neither was Astrid. She didn't get anything to eat, just a drink. She didn't feel like eating. She didn't feel like doing anything for that matter. All she wanted, was to be by Hiccup and help him through all of his problems. Not too long ago, Hiccup had both legs and hated Astrid. Now, he's missing a leg and they are living together. It was all happening so fast.

"Hey Hiccup..." Astrid asked hesitantly.

"Yeah what's up?" Hiccup swallowed before speaking. His mouth was covered in the sauce they used on the burgers.

"Well first off, you need to clean up your face." Astrid took a napkin and wiped Hiccups face off. "Second...where do we go from here?"

"What do you mean? Go from where?" Hiccup asked curiously. He was stumped by Astrid's question, because he didn't know the context of it.

"From here. I mean, I'm living with you now and we haven't even talked all that much. I just don't know if I'm completely ready for something like this. I've never had to take care of anyone before. Hell, sometimes I have a hard time taking care of myself. I just don't know how this is going to work out." Astrid was flustered. She didn't realize what she was doing at first. The option to take care of Hiccup presented itself and she jumped on it without a second thought.

"Second thoughts already? I thought for sure, it would have taken more than a couple days for you to get tired of me." Hiccup teased to lighten the mood. It helped a bit.

"Yeah. I mean you're just sooo unbearable." Astrid teased back. Seemingly in better spirits.

"Yeah. I can be. Well we should get home. I don't want to be out too late." Hiccup put all the remains of his food on the tray and Astrid went and threw it away. He tried getting up on the crutches alone, but he staggered and failed.

"You're going to need my help for a while. Don't try getting up alone. I don't need you getting hurt worse than you are." Astrid helped Hiccup up on the crutches.

"Yeah. I guess so. Anyways. Let's get going." Hiccup started heading towards his car, Astrid in tow.

Hiccup got in his car, and threw the crutches in the back. Astrid got in the driver seat, and put the keys in the ignition. With the turn of a key the car roared to a start. Astrid put the car in gear and they were off.

"So Hiccup, I just moved into your room. I went into the back room of the house, but I noticed it was a study or shrine of some sort. It had a lot of your Father's stuff in it. So I couldn't bring myself to move in there. The other room had all your instruments, and the third room was kind of small. So I hope you don't mind me moving into your room. If it's a problem I'll move into the small room." Astrid was ranting trying to start some small talk. The whole ride home so far Hiccup had been staring off into space and not really talking much.

"That's fine. As long as we don't have to share a bed any thing's OK. Besides, I don't think I'll be going up stairs for a couple days. You can just use my bed during that time." Hiccup said blankly. He let out an audible sigh. Astrid saw his small skinny shoulders shrink.

"If you're OK with it then fine. Well the good news is, after your stitches fully heal you'll be able to get a prosthetic leg. You won't be wheelchair bound forever." Astrid tried cheering him up, but he only sunk lower.

"Yeah, just another thing to make me different from everyone else. Wonder how well that will go down in school. If I even go back. I'm already going to miss another two months because of this. It will be the same situation as last year. I'll be so far behind that I won't even bother catching up." Hiccup sighed. He knew the way things were going, and he didn't like them.

"Well. What if I went to school and brought you back your work? Someone as smart as you should have no problem getting it done. Besides I'm living with you now, and I still am your tutor." Astrid gave Hiccup a cheeky smile. He just shrugged it off and decided not to delve into the conversation anymore than he had to.

"Speaking of which. Are your parents OK with you moving in? I'm sure it was kind of sudden." Hiccup was genuinely curious. It's not like she could just hop up and leave.

"My mom is OK with it. My dad...well...I don't see much of my dad these days. He works on a boat in the ocean. He's gone most of the time, and when he is home he's either drunk or sleeping. He doesn't really pay me much attention." Astrid explained her situation, which earned a curious glance from Hiccup.

"You're pretty upbeat and well balanced for a person with daddy issues." Hiccup gave a remark that seemed to have a sense of familiarity to it.

"Yeah, well, hard to love a guy when he's hardly around. We're almost there." Astrid spoke blankly about her father. She made the left turn down Hiccups road.

"I guess that's true. You gotta show him some love though. He's providing for your family. I'm sure if he could spend more time home, he would." Hiccup tried to reassure Astrid although it was obvious she didn't need it.

"Hiccup. Can we stop talking about it? I just, really don't enjoy talking about my father. Anyways we're here. Let me help you out." Astrid turned the car off, and got out. As she walked to the other side of the car Hiccup gave her a curious gaze.

"Thanks Astrid. Also. If you ever need to talk. I'm here." Hiccup stood on his one leg while Astrid provided support. She leaned him against the car then fetched his crutches from the trunk.

"No problem, and, I know. I'm just not ready to talk about me right now. I'd rather talk about you. You're far more interesting. Now let's get inside and get you comfortable." Astrid helped hiccup with the crutches and assisted him in hobbling over to his front door. She took the keys out of her pocket and unlocked the door.

"I seriously doubt I'm interesting to anyone other than you. Hell, I'm pretty sure a vast majority of the town has forgotten I exist by now. My dad was the only reason I really got out. With him gone I just sit at home." Hiccup spoke as he carefully navigated his way through the door and too the couch in his living room.

"No. Not really. My parents worry about you. Even Gothi, that old lady that works at the school infirmary worries about you. Plenty of people remember you exist. So don't sell yourself short there bucko." Astrid closed the door and took a seat by hiccup on the couch.

There was an awkward silence that lasted for about five minutes between the two. They were sitting uncomfortably on the couch and jittering, not sure what to say to the other. Hiccup saw the TV remote beside him and got an idea.

"Wanna watch a movie? I've got Netflix." Hiccup broke the ever so awkward silence with that simple question which earned a giggle from Astrid.

"A little early for a first date isn't it? Meh, what the hell. I'll watch a movie with you." Astrid teased Hiccup. This earned her a slight blush from him, which made things awkward again.

"Uhh. OK. Have anything in mind?" Hiccup started scrolling through Netflix on his TV. He had already seen most of what he wanted to see on there. It didn't seem like anything new was added recently. This bummed Hiccup out a bit.

"Oh hey look. Tropic Thunder. That movie is hilarious. I wouldn't mind seeing it again. It's a bit raunchy so you might not like it." Astrid got excited. She loved comedies, especially slap stick comedy. She couldn't let anyone know though. She had to maintain a smart girl, valedictorian persona.

"I'll give it a try. I don't mind comedy." Hiccup hit the play button.

The movie went on for about two hours, including the ending credits. Hiccup and Astrid enjoyed it, even sharing a few fits of hysterical laughter. It was a stupid movie to Hiccup but a funny kind of stupid. The kind of stupid he enjoys after a long day at school. Hiccup looked at the clock on his phone. It read 7:43.

"Well. It's almost bed time. I usually go to bed around eightish. I'd like to eat before going to bed. So I guess I could push it back a bit." Hiccup lied. He was used to staying out late, he just wanted a bit of private time.

"Alright. There's not much in the kitchen. Will a sandwich be OK?" Astrid got up from the couch and started walking to the kitchen. She thought of what he could possibly have left.

"Yeah that'll be fine. Nothing to fancy." Hiccup waited until Astrid was out of view. He grabbed his second phone for gang use out of his pocket. He sent a text to the Boss.

"Boss. Dagur got to me, but the mission is still going well. Astrid Hofferson is living with me now. It's so perfect." Hiccup hit send.

"I heard about what happened. Dagur did quite a number on you. Let's just say. He won't be doing it again anytime soon. Good job by the way. Keep up the work." The Boss replied almost instantly, almost as if he were waiting for Hiccup to contact him.

Astrid walked back in the room with a basic ham sandwich. She put it on the table in front of Hiccup then gave him a curious glance.

"So where are you sleeping? On this couch?" Astrid asked, simply because the couch was comfortable, but not something you'd want to sleep on for an extended period of time.

"Yeah I guess so. At least until I figure something else out. Anyways, I'd like to get to sleep. Goodnight Astrid." Hiccup gave Astrid a big smile. She smiled back and waved at him.

"Good night to you too. If you need anything just scream in agony. Or whatever." Astrid joked before heading up the stairs to Hiccup's room. When she got in the room she plopped on his bed, and tried sleeping.

Hiccup ate the sandwich she provided quickly. He proceeded to lay down, and resume messaging his boss. He talked about various things. Particularly about Dagur, and why he did what he did.

"So Boss. Any clue as to why Dagur tried to kill me? Also what do you mean he won't be doing it again anytime soon?"

"No clue honestly. He just has a few too many screws loose. Also, I'd rather not get into detail about that. The less you know right now the better. Just know, you're safe."

"If you say so. You didn't kill him did you?"

"Hiccup. Don't pry man. Like I said. The less you know the better. It's almost nine. You should get some sleep. You need some rest. Your leg won't heal right otherwise. Goodnight."

"You almost sound like my father. Anyways. Goodnight. Try to keep me updated with the gang activities." Hiccup turned off his phone after the last message.

Hiccup was sitting in the dark for another hour or so. He couldn't get to sleep. The reason being, the throbbing pain coming from his leg. The strong pain killers the hospital used on him must have worn off. Hiccup tossed and turned. The pain wasn't going away, and he didn't have any of his prescription pain killers yet.

"I guess I have one option. Everything else was in my pocket. Let's see if that's there." Hiccup reached into his back pocket. Low and behold, the very thing he was looking for was there. The LSD.

Hiccup took one of the pills and popped it in his mouth. It didn't take long until it took affect. His pain was gone. He could sleep peacefully now.


End file.
